An Investigation into Teachers’ Perspectives of the ...infonomics-society.org/wp-content/uploads/ijds/... · change initiatives are equally pertinent. The e-CAL initiative is in

An Investigation into Teachers’ Perspectives of the Factors that Facilitate the

Implementation of the e-CAL Curriculum Change Initiative in Trinidad and

Tobago

Abstract

In Trinidad and Tobago, there is a thrust towards

technology integration into the curriculum as a means

of improving student achievement. The one to one

computing model was adopted in 2010 and the

initiative is currently in its fifth year. The research

study sought to discover the teachers’ perspectives of

the factors which supported their implementation of

the initiative. Five teachers were chosen from

secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Data

collection consisted of semi-structured interviews and

an open-ended questionnaire. The findings revealed

that factors critical to successful implementation of the

eCAL curriculum change initiative were teacher-

related (teacher belief, teacher collaboration and

support); innovation-related (need and relative

advantage), and contextual factors (availability and

accessibility of technical resources and technical

support, principal leadership and teacher training and

professional development). It is hoped that the

findings from this study would augment knowledge in

the curriculum policy arena in the Trinidad and

Tobago context.

1. Introduction

Education is acknowledged as one possible means

of improving the economic status of a country and

thus, moving the country forward. Cutajar, Bezzina

and James [1] concur that ‘[e]ducational reform and

innovation are essential elements in the social and

economic development of nations’. Improvement in

education and increased student performance therefore

remain areas of deep interest. Technology integration

is viewed as one means of ensuring same (Bebell and

Kay [2]. Therefore, in countries all over the world,

educational reform initiatives target the integration of

technology into instruction (Buabeng-Andol [3]).

Trinidad and Tobago, a small developing nation state,

is no exception.

Trinidad and Tobago’s movement in this area of

technology integration, as recorded at the secondary

level, dates as far back as the late 1990s when the

country, through its Ministry of Education (MOE),

engaged in a number of endeavours to integrate

technology into the curriculum. Among them are the

Secondary Education Modernisation Programme

initiative (1998), one main aim of which was

technology infusion into curriculum; the development

of a Draft Policy For Information and

Communications Technology in Education (2005) and

the development of an action plan, Target: 2015

Education for All (EFA) Action Plan (2007). The

latest initiative was the eConnect and Learn

Programme (e-CAL) – a curriculum change initiative

which is aligned to four of the country’s

interconnected pillars for sustainable development:

people-centered development; poverty eradication and

Sharmila Nisha Harry, Beular MitchellCurriculum Studies/Teacher Education

School of EducationThe University of the West Indies

St Augustine

International Journal of Digital Society (IJDS), Volume 6, Issue 3, September 2015

Copyright © 2015, Infonomics Society 1058

mailto:[email protected]

social justice, information and communication

technology and a more diversified knowledge-

intensive economy.

The e-CAL curriculum change initiative was

introduced into the secondary school system in 2010

in an attempt to improve student performance through

the integration of technology into the curriculum. The

e-CAL is a one-to-one computing initiative through

which every student on entering the secondary system,

as a result of the Secondary Education Assessment

placement examination, is given a laptop for use as a

learning tool. The goals of the initiative are to:

enhance the learning environment for students in

an ever-changing information age;

improve the quality of instruction and support the

infusion of ICT in teaching and learning and the

development of 21st century skills in students;

reduce the inequity in access to computers and

information between the students from wealthy

and poor families;

raise student achievement through specific

interventions such as improving students’

understanding through the use of education

software;

facilitate the development of collaborative

teaching and learning between peers within the

school, among schools and between teacher and

student. (MOE [4])

The e-CAL curriculum change initiative consists of

four major components: Physical Equipment,

Connectivity, Educational System and

Monitoring/Evaluation. The component, Physical

Equipment, focuses on the supply and delivery of

laptops and supporting equipment to all secondary

schools in Trinidad and Tobago. The end goal of

Connectivity is to provide a reliable, local wireless

network structure within each school, enabling

broadband internet connectivity within students’

communities and bandwidth access, connection

stability and the requisite technologies. The focus of

Monitoring/Evaluation is to ensure feedback on the

success of the project. Through Educational System,

alignment of the technology with curriculum

development is to be established, content created and

appropriate training and pedagogical support made

available (GORTT [5]). In the latter, attempts were

made to prepare teachers for the implementation of

the eCAL curriculum initiative. The goals aligned to

this component were to improve the quality of

instruction and support the infusion of ICT in teaching

and learning and the development of 21st century skills

in students; to raise student achievement through

specific interventions such as improving students’

understanding through the use of education software;

and to facilitate the development of collaborative

teaching and learning between peers within the school,

among schools and between teacher and student.

(MOE [4]).

In most school-based curriculum initiatives, the

teachers are the frontline implementers and are

therefore significant actors who are pivotal in the

implementation process. (Kin-Sang Chan [6]; Fullan

[7]). When investigating teachers’ perspectives of the

implementation of curriculum change initiatives, more

often than not the tendency is to focus on the barriers

to successful implementation. (Chen and Selwood

[8]). However, teachers’ perspectives of the

successful implementation factors of curriculum

change initiatives are equally pertinent. The e-CAL

initiative is in its fifth year, but there has been little

attempt to gather from teachers their perspectives of

the implementation of the initiative. Moreover, to date,

there has been no comprehensive, empirical study into

the factors which facilitate teachers’ implementation

of the eCAL curriculum change initiative in the

Trinidad and Tobago context. This study therefore

assumes that in some secondary schools in Trinidad

and Tobago, success is being experienced in the

implementation of the e-CAL curriculum change

initiative and that this is worthy of investigating.

Success in this study indicates that some teachers in

several schools have begun and have continued to

implement the curriculum change initiative. We

acknowledge that curriculum change is challenging

and can be experienced in varying degrees. We seek

therefore to capture specifically the factors which

facilitate the implementation of the initiative by

teachers in the nation’s schools.

2. Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to

investigate teachers’ perspectives into the factors

which facilitate their implementation of the e-CAL

curriculum change initiative in schools. The study will

be conducted against the understanding, as stated in

the eCAL programme policy (MOE [4]) that

‘[c]urriculum and instruction are at the heart of any

educational endeavour as they determine what is

taught and how’ and that

‘[t]he use of computers shall be integrated in

subject areas identified by the school - as a

springboard, for the development of the



lesson, for application and enrichment, as

well as in the assessment of learning. (MOE

[4])’.

Overall, the intention is to capture pertinent details

in regard to the implementation of the e-CAL

curriculum change initiative; to provide direction to

local policy decision-makers and implementers in

regard to curriculum implementation and change and

to augment the local knowledge base on curriculum

implementation theory.

3. Research Questions

The overarching research question which guides

the study is:

What are teachers’ perspectives of the factors that

facilitate the implementation of the eCAL curriculum

change initiatives?

Arising from it are the following sub-questions:

1. What are teachers’ perspectives of the

teacher-related factors that facilitate the

implementation of the eCAL curriculum change

initiative?

2. What are teachers’ perspectives of the innovation-

related factors that facilitate the implementation of the

eCAL curriculum change initiative?

3. What are teachers’ perspectives of the contextual

factors that facilitate the implementation of the eCAL

curriculum change initiative?

4. Literature Review

Fullan [7] posits that there are nine interactive

factors that influence implementation of educational

change. These include the characteristics of change

(need, clarity, complexity and quality); local

characteristics (community, principal and teacher) and

external characteristics (examination syndicate,

funding agencies and Government). Fullan [7] further

concluded that these factors can be either barriers or

facilitators and that all these factors must work

together to result in effective change. Specifically, in

relation to one-to-one computing in the classroom,

various contextual factors, innovation-related factors

and teacher-related factors influence teachers’

successful implementation (Balanskat, Blamire &

Kafai [9]; Neyland [10]). This position is reinforced

by Buabeng-Andoh [3], whose study revealed that

there are both barriers and facilitators in teachers’

implementation of computer technology in teaching

and learning. Similarly, his study found that

facilitating factors range from the personal, the

institutional to the technological. The personal factors

included teachers’ attitudes, knowledge and feelings,

while the institutional factors were facilities, funding,

training and support. Technological factors identified

supported the fact that:

“teachers must perceive the technology as

better than previous practice; consistent with

their existing values, past experiences and

needs; ease to use, can be experimented with

on a limited basis before making a decision to

adopt and finally the results of the innovation

are visible to others”. [3].

Quality teacher training and professional

development in technology is also a critical factor in

successful integration of technology in the classroom.

Mundy, Kupczynski and Kee’s [11] research study,

indicated that the teachers who took part in the “Dot

USA’s Teach UP!” technology training programme

perceived that professional development in technology

helped in their successful integration of technology in

the classroom. Professional development, in their

view, resulted in “a significant increase in the areas of

student engagement, student excitement, students’

acceleration of learning and student proficiency with

computer technology” (Murdy et al, [11]. However,

Sandholtz and Reilly [12] go further and argue that if

teacher training programmes focus more on

pedagogical technology training rather than technical

skills, then teachers would better integrate technology

in their teaching.

On the other hand, Garthwait and Weller’s [13]

qualitative case study investigated two Science-Math

teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of laptops

in the classroom using interviews, classroom

observations and teacher artifacts. They examined

factors that were barriers as well as factors that

facilitated teachers’ use of laptops in the classroom.

Findings revealed that a major factor facilitating the

successful use of laptops in the classroom was their

positive belief in the benefits of laptops in teaching

and learning. This view is further reinforced by

Ertmatr and Ottenbreit-Leftwich’s [14] study that

found that teachers who believed that the use of

technology integration in their teaching would make it

more effective, actually used it more in the classroom.

Teacher collaboration is also a factor in the

successful implementation of one-to-one computing.

Oliver, Mollette and Corn’s [15] research on the



strategies that influenced the successful integration of

laptops in middle and high schools in the United

States, reveals that teacher collaboration was one of

the factors that influenced teacher buy-in to the

curriculum change. They noted though that various

forms of teacher collaboration were important. These

included teachers formally working in teams and

sharing their views with each other on technology

integration, informal collaboration where teachers

shared their ideas with peers from other subject

disciplines and teachers sharing their ideas through

online communities. In a similar vein, Granger,

Morbey, Lotherington, Owston and Wideman, [16]

qualitative case study of four schools in Canada

suggested that one of the factors that resulted in

successful implementation of ICT in teaching and

learning was teacher collaboration.

Availability and accessibility of technological

resources and functioning infrastructure are critical

factors in the successful integration of computers

(Ottestod [17]). Technical support and assistance as

well as the principal’s support and leadership

influenced teacher’s use of technology in their

teaching (Ottestod [17]). The principal’s articulation

of “a broad vision and a systemic approach of how to

introduce and use the laptops [and] [t]heir breadth of

vision [contribute] to the initiatives success” (Zucker

& McGhee [18]). Petterson’s [19] qualitative study of

Swedish teachers’ perception of the principal’s

leadership in relation to ICT use in their teaching from

two different schools revealed that two types of

principal leadership emerged, namely, distributed

leadership and a formal type of leadership. Findings

suggested that both types of leadership were

significant in teachers’ successful use of ICT.

5. Methodology

This research study is located within the sphere of

curriculum implementation. A qualitative case study

approach was chosen since it allows the researcher to

investigate issues of concern in their classroom natural

setting.The case in focus in this study was the e-CAL

curriculum change initiative and the area singled out

for intense scrutiny was facilitators of implementation,

specifically teacher-related; innovation-related and

contextual related factors.

Two methods of data collection were used: semi-

structured interview and written open-ended

statement (OES), adapted from Hall and Hord [20]

Open-ended Concerns Statement. The semi-structured

interview was deemed suitable because it is a means of

providing depth of information that is useful. Open-

ended statements were paired with the semi-structured

interview. The open-ended statement granted the

participants the opportunity to communicate in writing

their perspectives of the factors which facilitated the

implementation of the curriculum change initiative.

Their written submissions were used to corroborate the

data gathered from the semi-structured interviews.

Permission was granted by the MOE to conduct

research in the schools. The assistance of School

Supervisors (SS) from the School Supervision

Division was sought to identify schools in which the e-

CAL curriculum change initiative was being

implemented. School Supervisors are charged with

monitoring curriculum implementation in the system

and were therefore best placed to do so. Their

identification of the schools ensured that the schools

chosen were information-rich sites. A list of schools

was generated but five (5) schools accepted the

invitation to participate. One teacher from each of

these five schools formed the sample. The teachers

taught a range of subjects at different levels of the

school system. They were all graduate teachers but

only four were professionally trained - holders of a

Postgraduate Diploma in Education. Their technology

skills varied. Three had formal training in ICT and all

had access to the informal training provided on-site by

school personnel and by officials of the Ministry of

Education. All were engaged in sustained attempts to

implement the e-CAL initiative. We employed a code

system to identify the five teachers: T1 to T5. In each

case, T means Teacher. They were all informed about

the study and each consented in writing to participate

in the research.

Information from both the interviews and the

written open-ended statements was transcribed and

manually coded. From the codes, we unearthed the

major themes and generated patterns. Linking the

themes to the research questions, we developed rich,

thick narrative, supported by en vivo quotes. From this

narrative, we were able to identify the factors which

the teachers perceived as facilitators to their


initiative. Further analysis was done to refine the

information in order to determine whether they were

teacher-related, innovation-related or contextual-

related factors.



What are teachers’ perspectives of the teacher-related



Careful analysis of the data revealed that teacher-

related factors played a critical role in the teachers’

determination to implement the initiative. Foremost,

the teachers’ belief in the importance of the initiative

propelled them to address the obstacles encountered

and to make great effort to achieve the perceived goals

of the initiative. The result of this was that there was

continued implementation in spite of the challenges.

It [TEACHER BELIEF] is important because

if, as the teacher, you do not embrace the

technology, then you would therefore translate

that to your students. So, for instance, if it is you

go to the classroom and you are excited about the

technology and you convey to the students the

importance of bringing the laptops, the importance

of becoming literate and so on, then they would

catch it; it would be contagious.

(Teacher1, Interview 2014)

Initially, I felt I had to do it and I have to try it,

but more importantly, I believe that it does have

its use to students. It is beneficial to students’

learning and development. It is an amazing

technology, a very good step towards helping

students in the twenty-first century.


Teacher support and teacher collaboration also

proved to be significant contributing factors.

As a school, as a staff, you know we would

support one another, we would encourage one

another. We would have our own internal training

sessions where it would be necessary for all

teachers to be technology literate so teachers

would help one another. Within our department

meetings, if a teacher used a particular software

or tool and it was successful in the classroom, it

would be conveyed to other teachers and we share

as a staff.


Our department would collaborate all the time.

We set a wiki account where we would share

lessons. We would also try new things

and push each other to make the lessons

using the technology more interesting.

Sometimes one of us would teach a conceptual

lesson and invite the other members of the

department to see it. Our department had a good

relationship and we shared four laptops among

ourselves to help in the integration of

technology in the classroom.


In addition, in the responses given in the Open-

ended Statement, Teacher 1 underscored the

importance of collaboration among staff members

about the different strategies/approaches to the use of

the technology in the classroom.

Research Question 2

What are teachers’ perspectives of the innovation-

related factors that facilitate the implementation of the

eCAL curriculum change initiative?

One major factor was that the teachers all viewed

the initiative as serving a need. They acknowledged

that the use of technology served to motivate students

to learn and fostered their engagement in the

teaching/learning process. It was a change that they

embraced.

I thought it was important because, given the

skills that were required for 21st century

learning and survival, I think it was a very

good initiative by the government.


So it has its advantages; it is filling, you

could say, that void where you stimulate the

children, capture their attention ….


The world has gone this way…our students

need these skills, especially in such a

technological advanced world. Very critical

for their learning and creativity.


6. Findings of the Study

Research Question 1



What are teachers’ perspectives of the contextual



Continuous on-site training by members of staff

with specific expertise provided the impetus to

continue the implementation.

In the initial stages, … the concentration was

on the use of ICT in the classroom so we

would have had that done internally by

members of staff, the principal included;

HODs showing us the way that they would

teach a lesson, and how they would

incorporate the technology. Subsequent to

that, within our department meetings from

time to time we would do training about the

use of the technology in the classroom and

how to plan a lesson.


Within the school, we had internal

department workshops where we shared

lessons on how to use technology to teach.

That helped a lot. The HOD even organized a

workshop on a software programme called

SynchronEyes which made me feel more

knowledgeable and enhanced my teaching.

These workshops ran often in the first two

years and still continue to today. At the end

of it, I did learn how to infuse technology

into my Mathematics lesson …..

(Teacher 5, Interview 2014)

To supplement the on-site training, some teachers

took charge of their professional development and

sought other avenues through which to gain the

competencies needed.

…then my own incompetency led me to

participate in … teachers’ forums with people

out of Trinidad where you would share ideas

and collaborate. … I found out a lot by

talking to other people … and then

experimenting ….


Accessibility and availability of technical resources

and the necessary infrastructure were critical factors

which supported technology integration. Teacher 2

and Teacher 3 both indicated in the open-ended

statement that proper functioning resources such as the

computer and the multi-media; internet access and

availability of hardware and software for each of the

subject areas served to provide the support needed for

the successful implementation of the initiative.

Resources were available. We had plugs that

worked; access to the internet at all times; a

proper working system and infrastructure to

accommodate teaching with technology.

Classrooms were also well outfitted with a

proper multimedia system.


… we have purchased lots of software to use.

For example, in this little room here we have

a TV, we have video, we have cable [cable

television] with a multimedia projector so

you get internet here. We would have ideas

invested in this for ourselves and we have

lots of educational videos and CDs and

software that the teachers can use.


Principal support and leadership were fundamental

to successful implementation. Teacher 5 pointed out

that continued support by the Principal in the

provision of software and hardware encouraged the

teacher to integrate technology into instruction.

Initially, I was resistant to using the

technology but the Principal motivated and

encouraged me to use it … .The Principal

was also very supportive and accommodating

in providing resources that were needed. She

also explained certain areas that we did not

understand and helped us to get various

lesson plans from the internet to help us and

guide us.


… even in our staff meetings and so on, our

principal would use the technology and she

would always encourage the use of the

technology. So therefore if you see the

success of it, it is easier for you to want to

use it also.


The principal also led from in front and championed

the initiative.

Research Question 3



The principal is fundamentally important

because the principal is … the one who

would come and tell us that it is important for

us to use it [the technology], it is necessary, it

is mandatory and she wouldn’t do it from the

perspective that just because you have to do it

because the Minister wants you to do it but

from the perspective that … it would be a

success if we would effectively use it.


7. Discussion and Conclusion

The study sought to gain insight into teachers’

perspective of the factors which facilitated their


initiative. The findings revealed that there were

teacher-related, innovation-related as well as

contextual factors which worked together to help

teachers to confront and to conquer the technology

integration challenge. This study therefore

corroborates the literature on curriculum

implementation. (Buabeng-Andoh [5]; Ottestod [18).

It became clear that at the core of the implementation

of the curriculum change initiative was the teachers’

deep belief in its importance in the system at this time

and the possible positive influence it could have on

students’ performance. In addition, the teachers

demonstrated support and collaboration in the sharing

of resources and expertise among themselves as they

strove to attain the goals of the initiative. Contextual

factors also played a major role. One contributing

contextual factor was the provision of resources.

Having the necessary resources eased the burdens of

implementation. However, the presence of resources

had to be coupled with technical expertise which

resided in a technician or in the teachers themselves

who possessed ICT skills.

In addition the teachers were provided with

training. Training was not only provided at the initial

stage of the initiative but indeed was on-going and on-

site. The latter factor suggested that the training was in

keeping with the needs of the teacher and relative to

their context and therefore was relevant and targeted.

Furthermore, the principal played a key role in

teachers’ attempt to implement the e-CAL curriculum

change initiative. The principal claimed ownership of

the initiative and proved to be a motivating force. In

addition, the principal provided the resources needed

and made himself or herself available as a source of

advice and direction. In some cases, the principal

served as an exemplar. The findings also revealed that

innovation-related factors contributed significantly as

well. Teachers were driven by an acknowledgement

that there was need for the initiative. In the Trinidad

and Tobago context, no one factor discussed in the

paper is more important than the other. The facilitating

factors worked together to enable teachers to integrate

technology into the curriculum. This suggests that the

technology challenge can be conquered if the

necessary supports are in place to facilitate successful

implementation

8. References

[1] M. Cutajar, C. Bezzina, and C. James, “Educational

reforms in Malta: A missed opportunity to establish

distributed governance”, Management in Education, Sage,

London, 2013. pp. 118-124.

[2] D. Bebell and R. Kay, “One to One Computing: A

Summary of the Quantitative Results.” The Journal of

Technology, Learning and Assessment, Technology and

Assessment Study Collaborative, Caroline A. & Peter S.

Lynch School of Education, Boston College, 2010, pp. 1-60.

[3] C. Buabeng-Andol, “Factors influencing teachers’

adoption and integration of information and communication

technology into teaching: A review of the literature.”

International Journal of Education and Development using

Information and Communication Technology, Pentecost

University College, Ghana, 2012, pp. 136 – 155.

[4] Ministry of Education, The eConnect and Learn

Programme Policy, Ministry of Education, Port of Spain,

2010.

[5] Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago,

Laptops for Students, (brochure), Ministry of Education,

Port of Spain, 2010.

[6] J. Kin-Sang Chan, “Teachers’ responses to curriculum

policy implementation: colonial constraints for curriculum

reform”, Springer Science and Business Media, Springer,

New York, 2010. pp. 93 – 106.

[7] M.Fullan, The New Meaning of Educational Change (3rd

ed.), Teachers College Press, London, 2007.

[8] Y. Chen and I. Selwood, “Implementing and Sustaining

Educational Change and ICT: A Case Study of a Taiwanese

Primary School” in Tatnall, A and Jones, A (Eds.) Education

and Technology for a Better World, Springer, New York,

2009, pp. 198 – 206.



[9] A. Balanskat, R. Blamire, , and S. Kafal, “A review of

studies of ICT impact on schools in Europe”, European

Schoolnet, 2007.

[10] E. Neyland, “Integrating online learning in NSW

secondary schools: Three schools perspectives on ICT

adoption”, Australasian Journal of Education

Technology,Australasian Society for Computers in

Learning in Tertiary Education, Australia, 2011, pp.

152-173.

[11] M.A. Mundy, L. Kupczynsk and R. Kee, “Teachers’

Perceptions of Technology Use in the Schools,” Sage Open.

Retrieved August 29, 2015, from http://sgo.sagepub.com.

[12] J. H. Sandholtz, and B. Reilly, “Teachers, not

technicians: Rethinking technical expectations for

teachers”, Teachers College Record, Teachers College,

Columbia University, 2004, pp. 487-512.

[13] A. Garthwait, and H. G. Weller, “A Year in the Life:

Two Seventh Grade Teachers Implement One-to-One

Computing”, Journal of Research on Technology in

Education, University of Maine, United States, 2005, pp.

361-377.

[14] M. Windschitl and K. Sahl, “Tracing teachers’ use of

technology in a laptop computer school. The interplay of teachers beliefs, social dynamics and institutional culture”, American Educational Research Journal, University of Washington, Seattle, 2002, pp. 165-205.

[15] K.M. Oliver, M. Mollette and J. Corn, “Administrative

Perspective on the Implementation of one-to-one

computing”, Journal of Information Technology and

Application in Education, North Carolina State University,

United States, 2002, pp. 125-142.

[16] C. A. Granger, M.L. Morbey, H. Lotherington, R.D.

Owston, and H.H. Wideman, “Factors contributing to

teachers’ successful implementation of IT”, Journal of

Computer Assisted Learning, Faculty of Education, York

University, Toronto, 2002, pp. 480-488.

[17] G. Ottestod, “School Leadership for ICT and Teachers’

Use of Digital Tools”, Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy,

John Benjamins Publishing Co, Amsterdam, 2013.

[18] A. L.Petersen, “Teachers’ Perception of Principals’

ICT Leadership”, Contemporary Educational Technology,

University West, Sweden, 2014, pp. 302-315.

[19] Hall, G.E. and S. M. Hord, Implementing change:

patterns, principles, and potholes, Allyn and Bacon, Boston,

2011.



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